Accessories for remote monitoring

ABSTRACT

An accessory for remote monitoring, including: a body capable of being placed on a human body; a measurement unit installed in the body and measuring a change in surroundings; a signal processing unit for processing a signal acquired from the measurement unit; and a wireless communication unit including a monopole antenna transmitting the signal processed by the signal processing unit and a ground installed along the body, corresponding to the monopole antenna. The signal processing unit and the monopole antenna are manufactured in a small size to be formed in the accessories body or periphery of the accessories body, and a space for wiring the ground may be obtained by using a band or the accessories body in an extended shape.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.11/436,769, filed on May 19, 2006, which claims the benefit of KoreanPatent Application No. 10-2005-0095644, filed on Oct. 11, 2005, in theKorean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a health care technology for measuringand monitoring a change in a body, and more particularly, relates toaccessories placed on a body of a user to measure a change in the bodyof the user or condition of the user and communicate with an externalapparatus.

2. Description of Related Art

A ubiquitous system indicates an information communication environmentin which a user is unaware of a network or a computer and whose positionis irrelevant while the user freely access the network. When aubiquitous system is generally used, every one can use informationtechnology in varied embodiments. Thus, a user could, for example, notonly use such technology in a house or vehicle but also on the top of amountain. Also, since the general use of a ubiquitous system increasesthe number of users of computers connected to a network, the informationtechnology industry may be also expanded to a size and range in relationto the number of the users. Due to merits of not only portability andconvenience, as described above, but also accessing a network in whichtime and position are irrelevant, technologies associated withUbiquitous system are being developed in nations worldwide.

The described technologies associated with ubiquitous systems may beapplied in every field of human life, and currently, in particular, dueto the well-being fad, a ubiquitous healthcare (U-healthcare) is in thespotlight as a notable technical field. U-healthcare is a ubiquitoustechnology in which a chip or sensor associated with medical services isintegrated into any part of human life, thereby naturally providingmedical services to everyone at anytime and anywhere. According to theU-healthcare, medical treatments performed in only hospitals, such asvarious medical examinations, management of diseases, emergency care,and consulting with doctors, may be realized during everyday life.

As a result, a device capable of measuring or monitoring a change in abody or a peripheral environment may be required. Also, according todevelopment of a technology associated with integrated circuits (IC), acircuit capable of performing desired functions may be embodied in onechip. Accordingly, according to the level of present technology, thesize of a circuit unit may be minimized to several mm or less.

Also, since technology associated with antennas is continuouslydeveloped, the size of an antenna may be minimized. Generally, a smalldevice including wireless communication function may employ a monopoleantenna because the monopole antenna having a quarter (¼) length of awavelength of a used frequency may perform efficient communicationfunction. Also, recently, greater minimization of antennas has been madepossible by employment of dielectric material or improvement oftechnology of antenna patterns. For example, when a monopole antenna isused for a frequency of approximately 2.45 GHz, a required length of theantenna is approximately 3 cm, and when a dielectric material or aparticular pattern is used, the size of the antenna may be manufacturedto be less than approximately 1 cm.

When a device for monitoring a change in a body or environments isplaced on a body, a functional circuit and antenna may be minimized to adesired size. However, a ground has to have a length of ¼ wavelength,and when a monopole antenna is used in a frequency band of approximately2.45 GHz, a required length of a ground has to be at least approximately3 cm.

Accordingly, to manufacture a monitoring device placed on a body in asmall size, since a ground of a certain length is required, there aremany restrictions to manufacture the monitoring device in a micro size.Actually, when a ground is formed on a printed circuit board (PCB), asthe entire size of the PCB is reduced, an area in which the ground isformed is also reduced and the antenna cannot perform its function.

BRIEF SUMMARY

An aspect of the present invention provides accessories capable ofcontaining a circuit unit and an antenna formed in a small size andeffectively providing a ground greater than a certain length.

An aspect of the present invention also provides accessories capable ofbeing usually placed on or easily carried by using conventional smallarticles or accessories.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided anaccessory including a body capable of being placed on a human body; ameasurement unit installed in the body measuring a change insurroundings; a signal processing unit processing a signal acquired fromthe measurement unit; and a wireless communication unit including amonopole antenna transmitting the signal processed by the signalprocessing unit and a ground installed along the body, corresponding tothe monopole antenna.

Due to development of technology, the signal processing unit or themonopole antenna may be manufactured smaller than 1 cm. However, theground may be required to be greater than a certain length because ofresonance. Accordingly, the ground may be separately connected to a PCBsubstrate and wired along the accessories body, thereby manufacturing aminimized monitoring device.

The accessory may be an accessory or small article which can be placedon a human body or clothes. In detail, they may be accessories formed inthe shape of a ring or other ornaments such as a necklace, a bracelet, anecktie pin and the like, and they may be small articles formed in theshape of a ring or band such as a hat, a watch, a band, a waist belt,glasses and the like. The measuring unit may be directly or indirectlyin contact with the body of the user to measure an ECG, an EMG, an EEG,a GSR, a body temperature, a pulse, and a blood pressure. In addition,the measurement unit may sense temperature, pressure, humidity,components of air, composition of air, radioactivity, and deleteriousbacteria of peripheral environments.

The signal processing unit for processing the measured signal may beembodied as an IC chip on the PCB substrate, and the monopole antennamay be embodied on the same. Also, the monopole antenna may bemanufactured to be less than λ/4 by using high dielectric material orembodying a precision antenna pattern.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is providedan accessory for remote monitoring, including: a body capable of beingplaced on an object; a measurement unit installed in the body measuringa change in a surrounding environment; a circuit unit including anintegrated circuit chip processing a signal acquired from themeasurement unit and a monopole antenna formed on the same substrate onwhich the integrated circuit chip is installed; and a ground connectedto the circuit unit and extended along the body.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda method of remote monitoring, including: placing a body on the object;measuring a change in a surrounding state via a measurement unitinstalled in the body; processing, via a signal processing unit, asignal acquired from the measurement unit; and transmitting the signalprocessed by the signal processing unit via a wireless communicationunit including a monopole antenna and a ground installed along the bodyand corresponding to the monopole antenna.

Additional and/or other aspects and advantages of the present inventionwill be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice ofthe invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and/or other aspects and advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent and more readily appreciated from the followingdetailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating accessories according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged front view illustrating internal elementsof the an accessory of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating theinternal elements of the an accessory of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged front view illustrating internal elementsof a pendant of the an accessory of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating function transfer between the internalelements of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an accessory according toanother embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an accessory according tostill another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating an accessory according to yetanother embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the presentinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elementsthroughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain thepresent invention by referring to the figures.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an accessory according to anembodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged frontview illustrating internal elements of the accessory of FIG. 1, and FIG.3 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the internalelements of the accessory of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, accessory 100 is a kind of necklace.Accordingly, the accessory 100 comprises an accessory body 110 in theshape of a necklace, a measurement unit 120 mounted on the accessorybody 110, an IC chip 132 including a signal processing circuit, amonopole antenna 142, and a ground 144. A part of the measurement unit120 is exposed outward to be capable of maintaining contact with thebody of the user directly or indirectly.

The accessory body 110 is in the form of a general necklace and includesa pendant 112 and a necklace string 114. The measurement unit 120 thatcan be attached to the body is mounted on the rear side of the pendant112, the IC chip 132 and the monopole antenna 142 are mounted on aprinted circuit board (PCB) substrate 130 in the pendant 112.

The top of the pendant 112 is connected to the necklace string 114, andthe monopole antenna 142 and the ground 144 are electrically connectedvia the engaged parts of the pendant 112 and the necklace string 114.The ground 144 is built into and along the necklace string 114 and isformed in a length of more than approximately λ/4, where the symbol of λindicates a wavelength of a used frequency. Accordingly, the IC chip 132may form a wireless communication unit by using the monopole antenna142, and the ground 144 may function as a valid image antenna withrespect to the monopole antenna 142.

The measurement unit 120 installed in the pendant 112 may receive asignal for monitoring a biosignal of the user by being in contact withthe body of the user. Generally, the biosignal may include anelectrocardiogram, an electromyogram, an electroencephalogram, and agalvanic skin response. The measurement unit may be also used formeasuring a body temperature, a pulse, or a blood pressure. In addition,the measurement unit 120 may further include other functions. Inaddition to the use of measuring a change in the body of a user, forexample, a temperature, a pressure, a humidity, a components of air, acomposition of air, a radioactivity, and a deleterious bacteria analysisof the surrounding environment may be measured. To measure environmentalcharacteristics instead of physiological characteristics, themeasurement unit may be mounted on the front of a pendant instead of therear of the pendant.

In the present embodiment, though the measurement unit 120 includes onecontact terminal, according to the type and number of biosignals to bemeasured, two or more contact terminals may be provided and positions ofcontact terminals may be determined. When a plurality of contactterminals are formed, each of the contact terminals is independentlyconnected to the signal processing unit, and the signal processing unitmay generate a signal to be transmitted to the wireless communicationunit via a process of amplifying, filtering, or combining signalstransmitted from each of the terminals.

FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged front view illustrating internal elementsof a pendant of the accessory of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a diagramillustrating function transfer between the internal elements of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, the measurement unit 120 disposed in the rearside of the pendant may be in continuous contact with the body of theuser and may measure electrocardiogram or electromyogram. A signalmeasured by the measurement unit 120 may be an analog signal. The ICchip 132, as a signal processing unit, receives the analog signal fromthe measurement unit 120 and may process the received signal to transmitto an external apparatus or server. Generally, the IC chip 132 mayamplify, filter, and convert the measured signal into a digital signal,and the processed signal may be transmitted to an external apparatus orserver via the wireless communication unit 140.

In the present embodiment, it is described that the accessory 100measures a biosignal and transmits the biosignal to the externalapparatus or server. However, the accessory 100 may receive emergencyinformation from the external apparatus or server and may display thedegree of the danger for giving a warning to the user. Namely, thewireless communication unit 140 may include not only a function oftransmission but also a function of reception.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an accessory 200 according toanother embodiment of the present invention. For reference, theaccessory 200 of FIG. 6 is a necklace but includes a measurement unitand a ground mounted separately from a pendant.

Referring to FIG. 6, the accessory 200 includes an accessory body 210formed in the shape of a necklace, a measurement unit 220 provided onthe side of a string of a necklace and in contact with a body of a user,a signal processing unit 230 mounted on the measurement unit 220, and aground 244. The measurement unit 220 is formed in the shape of a disk,as a conventional sensing electrode for medical use. An electrode incontact with the user's body is included underneath the measurement unit220.

The signal processing unit 230 is mounted on the top of the measurementunit 220 and includes an IC chip including a signal processing circuitand a monopole antenna. The IC chip of the signal processing unit 230measures, converts, and processes a biosignal. The IC chip iselectrically connected to the electrode of the measurement unit 220.Also, the monopole antenna of the signal processing unit 230 isfunctionally connected to the ground 244.

The measurement unit 220 and the signal processing unit 230 areinstalled in a part of the string of the accessory body 210, and theground 244 in the body. Though the measurement unit 120 and the PCBsubstrate 130 are built into the accessory body 110 in FIGS. 1 and 2, inthe present embodiment, the measurement unit 220 and the signalprocessing unit 230 are formed on the outside of the accessory body 210and the ground 244 is wired by using the string.

The ground 244 is formed in a length greater than approximately λ/4 of aused frequency. Accordingly, the IC chip of the signal processing unit230 may form a wireless communication unit by using the monopole antennaand the ground 244, and the ground 244 may function as a valid imageantenna with respect to the monopole antenna.

The measurement unit 220 mounted on the string may receive a signal formonitoring a biosignal of a user by being in contact with the user'sbody. As described above, the biosignal may include an electrocardiogram(ECG), an electromyogram (EMG), an electroencephalogram (EEG), agalvanic skin response (GSR), a body temperature, a pulse, and a bloodpressure.

In the present embodiment, one measurement unit 220 is mounted on thestring, but the type or number of measurement units may vary. When aplurality of measurement units is formed, the measurement units may beindependent or may be dependently connected to each other along thestring.

The measurement 220 may measure an ECG or an EMG while being in contactwith the user's body. The signals measured by the measurement unit 220may be prepared to be transmitted externally via the IC chip of thesignal processing unit 230. The IC chip may amplify, filter, and convertthe measured signal into a digital signal to transmit to an externalapparatus or server via a wireless communication unit.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an accessory 300 according tostill another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, the accessory 300 is a watch and includes anaccessory body 310 in the shape of a watch, a measurement unit 320mounted on a part of the accessory body 310 and in contact with a user'swrist, a signal processing unit 330 including an IC chip including asignal processing circuit, a monopole antenna (not shown), and a ground344.

The accessory body 310 includes a watch body and a watch band 314. Themeasurement unit 320 capable of being in contact with the wrist isinstalled in the bottom of the watch body, and the signal processingunit 330 including the IC chip is formed in a watch body together withthe measurement unit 320. Also, the signal processing unit 330 includesthe IC chip and the monopole antenna on a single PCB substrate. Sinceinternal elements of the accessory have been previously described withreference to FIG. 4, detailed configuration and description will beomitted.

Referring to FIG. 7, both sides of the watch body are connected to thewatch band 314, and the monopole antenna and the ground 344 areelectrically connected to a portion of the connection between the watchbody and the watch band 314. The ground 344 is built in the watch band314 and formed in a length of at least more than approximately λ/4 of aused frequency. Accordingly, the IC chip may form a wirelesscommunication unit by using the monopole antenna and the ground 344, andthe ground 344 may function as a valid image antenna with respect to themonopole antenna.

The measurement unit 320 mounted on the watch body may receive a signalfor monitoring a biosignal of a user while being in contact with theuser's wrist. Generally, the biosignal may include an ECG, an EMG, anEEG, a GSR, a body temperature, a pulse, and a blood pressure. Inaddition, the measurement unit may sense a temperature, a pressure, ahumidity, a components of air, a composition of air, a radioactivity,and a deleterious bacteria of the surrounding environment.

In the present embodiment, the measurement unit 320 includes one contactterminal, but according to the type and number of biosignals to bemeasured, two or more contact terminal may be provided and a position ofthe contact terminal may be determined.

The measurement unit 320 in the rear of the watch body may measure anECG or an EMG while being in contact with the user's wrist. A signalmeasured by the measurement unit 320 is an analog signal. The IC chip ofthe signal processing unit 330 receives the analog signal from themeasurement unit 320 and may prepare to transmit the received signaloutside by processing. The IC chip may amplify, filter, and convert themeasured signal into a digital signal, and the processed signal may betransmitted to an external apparatus or server via a wirelesscommunication unit.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating an accessory 400 according toyet another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, the accessory 400 is motivated by glasses andincludes an accessory body 410 in the shape of glasses, a measurementunit 420 mounted on a part of the accessory body 410 and in contact withsides of a user's head, a signal processing unit 430 including an ICchip including a signal processing circuit, a monopole antenna (notshown) and a ground 444 mounted together with the IC chip on asubstrate.

The accessory body 410 includes a glasses body and glasses legs (ortemples) 414 formed on both ends of the glasses body. The measurementunit 420 capable of being in contact with a side of a face is installedin one of the glasses legs 414. The signal processing unit 430 includingthe IC chip is installed in the glasses leg 414, close to themeasurement unit 420. Also, the signal processing unit 430 includes theIC chip and the monopole antenna on a single PCB substrate.

The measurement unit 420, the signal processing unit 430, and the ground444 are sequentially provided along the glasses leg 414. The ground 444is built in the glasses leg 414 and formed in a length greater thanapproximately λ/4 of a used frequency. Accordingly, the IC chip may forma wireless communication unit by using the monopole antenna and theground 444, and the ground 444 may function as a valid image antennawith respect to the monopole antenna.

The measurement unit 420 mounted on the glasses leg 414 may receivesignals associated with an ECG, an EMG, an EEG, a GSR, a bodytemperature, a pulse, and a blood pressure of a user while being incontact with the head. Though the measurement unit 420 is mounted in oneof the glasses legs 414 in the present embodiment, according to the typeand number of biosignals to be measured, two or more measurement unitsmay be provided in each glasses leg.

The measurement unit 420 in the glasses leg 414 may measure a desiredbiosignal while being in contact with the head. A signal measured by themeasurement unit 420 is processed via the IC chip of the signalprocessing unit 430, and the processed signal may be transmitted to anexternal apparatus or server by using the monopole antenna and theground 444.

The accessories of the above-described embodiments of the presentinvention may be conventional accessories or small articles and mayinclude a micro circuit unit and an antenna. However, since a ground hasto have a certain length for effective communication, the ground may bebuilt or wired into an accessory body in the certain length. A groundhaving more than the certain length makes an efficient wirelesscommunication of the accessory possible.

Since the shapes of conventional clothing articles or accessory can beused as an accessory body of the present invention, it is simple to puton or carry, thereby maximizing convenience of users.

Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed, the present invention is not limited to the describedembodiments. Instead, it would be appreciated by those skilled in theart that changes may be made to these embodiments without departing fromthe principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which isdefined by the claims and their equivalents.

1. (canceled)
 2. An accessory for remote monitoring, comprising: a bodycapable of being placed on a monitored subject; a measurement unitprovided on the body to measure a change in a surrounding environment; asignal processing unit to process a signal acquired from the measurementunit; and a wireless communication unit including an antenna to transmitthe signal processed by the signal processing unit, wherein the body hasa strip to be hanged on the subject, and wherein the ground electricallyconnected to the antenna is built in the strip, and a length of theground is greater than approximately λ/4 of a frequency used by thewireless communication unit to transmit the signal processed by thesignal processing unit.
 3. The accessory of claim 2, wherein the body isin a form of a necklace, a bracelet, a belt, a watch, a band, a ring, ora pair of glasses.
 4. The accessory of claim 2, wherein the ground is inthe body along a periphery of the body.
 5. The accessory of claim 2,wherein the ground is installed along the body to form a part of thebody.
 6. The accessory of claim 2, wherein a length of the ground isgreater than approximately λ/4 of a frequency used by the wirelesscommunication unit to transmit the signal processed by the signalprocessing unit.
 7. The accessory of claim 2, wherein the measurementunit measures at least one of an electrocardiogram, an electromyogram,an electroencephalogram, a galvanic skin response, an electrooculogram,a body temperature, a pulse, a blood pressure, and a physical movement.8. The accessory of claim 2, wherein the measurement unit measures atleast one of a temperature, a pressure, a humidity, a composition ofair, a radioactivity, and a deleterious bacteria analysis.
 9. Theaccessory of claim 2, wherein the signal processing unit is in anintegrated circuit (IC) chip on a printed circuit (PCB) substrate. 10.The accessory of claim 9, wherein the antenna is on the PCB.
 11. Theaccessory of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication unit alsoreceives information.
 12. The accessory of claim 2, wherein the antennais functionally connected to the ground.
 13. An accessory for remotemonitoring, comprising: a body capable of being placed on a monitoredsubject; a measurement unit provided on the body to measure a change ina surrounding environment; a circuit unit including an integratedcircuit chip to process a signal acquired from the measurement unit andan antenna formed on the same substrate on which the integrated circuitchip is installed; and wherein the body has a strip to be hanged on thesubject, and wherein the ground electrically connected to the antenna isbuilt in the strip, and a length of the ground is greater thanapproximately λ/4 of a frequency used by the wireless communication unitto transmit the signal processed by the circuit unit.
 14. The accessoryof claim 13, wherein the body is in a form of a necklace, a bracelet, abelt, a watch, a band, a ring, and a pair of glasses.
 15. The accessoryof claim 13, wherein the measurement unit measures at least one of anelectrocardiogram, an electromyogram, an electroencephalogram, agalvanic skin response, an electrooculogram, a body temperature, apulse, a blood pressure, and a physical movement.
 16. The accessory ofclaim 13, wherein the measurement unit measures at least one of atemperature, a pressure, a humidity, a composition of air, aradioactivity, and a deleterious bacteria analysis.
 17. A method ofremote monitoring, comprising: placing a body on a monitored subject;measuring a change in a surrounding state via a measurement unitprovided on the body; processing, via a signal processing unit, a signalacquired from the measurement unit; and transmitting the signalprocessed by the signal processing unit via a wireless communicationunit including an antenna, wherein the body has a strip to be hanged onthe subject, and wherein the ground electrically connected to theantenna is built in the strip, and a length of the ground is greaterthan approximately λ/4 of a frequency used by the wireless communicationunit to transmit the signal processed by the signal processing unit. 18.The method of claim 17, wherein the surrounding state is either aphysiological or environmental.